Such a Jerk
by Autobot Chromia
Summary: Kripke is such a jerk. He is always teasing Sheldon, and always speaks with that impediment. Why does he talk like that anyways? Doesn't he have acess to a speech therapist? A one shot explaining and answering all these questions, plus more. Rated T for safety, swearing and abuse.


Such a Jawrk

"Hey, thewre, dumbass."

"Kripke."Sheldon said, straitening up in his chair even more.

Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard were sitting at their table in the college's caffeteria. They were simply trying to enjoy their food when Kripke showed up.

"What do you want?"Sheldon asked, as he had been the one adressed.

"Nothin', just cowmin to see what yowr doin'."Kipke answered.

"Really?"Sheldon asked.

"Weawly."Kripke answered, a soft look on his face. He laughed once."Of cowse no, dumbass. I came ta make fun of you."

Sheldon sighed, shoulders slumping foward in an exhadgerated fashion before straitening up again. Leonard pushed his chair pack and stood up.

"You know what, I'm sick of you making fun of Sheldon and bothering us."Leornard said."Go pick on somebody your own size and leave us alone."

"Who woud I tease?"Kripke asked."You?"

Leonard's eyes widened for a second. This was not the way he had wanted this conversation to go. He started to open his mouth to speak, but the other man beat him to it.

"Oh, wait."Kripke said, drawling his the word 'wait'."You'wre too wittle. I can't tease a wittle kid."

"You know, what?"Howard satarted, standing up as well."I've had enough of this as well. Leave us alone."

"Yeah."Raj added."Why do you have to be such a 'jawrk'?"

"Oh, guys."Howard said."Maybe he's a 'wittle scawed ta' leave'."

Leonard and Raj laughed.

"Maybe he needs a 'wittle push in the wight diwection'."Leonard added.

Howard, Leonard, and Raf all laughed now. Sheldon even managed a forced chuckle at the sight of his enemy's face.

Kripke looked at each face, and then back at Sheldon. "Well, Coopa, wooks like youwr fwiends awe standin' up fow ya'. I'll be back, dumbass."

Kripke's speech impedament became worse as his ego deflated to it's lowest point. His voice trembled, though barely noticable. He turned and quickly left. The three guys took their seats again and began to finish their lunch.

"Did you see the look on his 'wittle' face?"Raj asked.

The others, excuding Sheldon, nodded and laughed. Raj took another bite of his rice as Sheldon started to speak.

"I have been going over this expierence through different people's views in my head." Sheldon announced.

"Why don't you keep it up there?"Howard asked, earning snickers from the others.

Sheldon rolled his eyes and continued."I have decided that the only person close enough to my intelligence is Leonard's mother. I have scrutenized the confrontation with Kripke through what I believe her to be her opinion."

"My mother?"Leonard asked.

"Don't encourage him." Howard said through clenched lips.

"No, hang on."Leonard said, holding his hand up."Let's see where this is going."

"Thank you."Sheldon replied, rather pleased that Leonard wished to hear what he had to say. "Leonard's mother would probably say that his actions are derived from some known or unknown hurt. In this case, probably unknown. As he lives by himself, it could be said that he is lonely, but that would not make sense in this situation."

"Why not?"Howard heard himself ask, much to his surprise.

"Because, he pushes others away, so it is most like as a protective reflex."Sheldon said, scoffing as if it had been the most obvios thing in the world.

"So, what is that supposed to mean? He doesn't like people, and whatever happened to him happened as a kid?"Raj asked, speaking after reamaining silent for awhile.

"Exactly."Sheldon said, taking a bite of his strawberry cheesecake. "Mm, this is rather appetizing." he mused.

The others didn't care about Sheldon and his cheesecake. They were are stating to feel rather ashamed of what they had done.

"Hey, uh, guys?"Leonard started."Do you think maybe,just maybe, we went too far?"

"Yeah."Raj said, his entire body showing his remorse."Telling him to go was one thing-"

"Making fun of him was another."Howard finished.

"He can't help the way he talks."Leonard added."I wonder..."

"What? What do you wonder?"Howard asked.

"Why he talks that way."Leonard still thought outloud to himself. "I mean, he went to school so he had acess to speech councelors. Heck, we even have some here at campus."

The others shrugged. Sheldon suddenly stood up and picked up his tray. He looked at each person at the table.

"I must leave. It is time for me to return to my work. The rest of you go...do whatever it is you do with your time."Sheldon said, turning and leaving.

Leonard scoffed. He stood up as well though."I have to get back to work too."

"Same here."Howard added, picking up his tray.

"Ditto."Raj added with a sigh.

The three men took up their trays and went their seperate ways.

OoOoOoOoO

Kripke went up the halls faster then he had left the caffeteria. He stopped before his office, but didn't go in. He had slowed down as everybody else had gone to their own offices of labs now. He slowly walked up the halls, reminising. The way Howard, Leonard, and Raj and spoken to him. It just wasn't fair! He couldn't help the way he spoke, it's not like anyone had ever offered to help him. Nobody had ever allowed him to get help.

XxXxXxXxXxX

A small boy walked into the school caffeteria. Sixth grade was the worst. Well, first through sixth grade were terrible. Kindergarten hadn't been all that great either, come to think of it. Why? Kripke was about to remember why.

"Hey, kid, what are you doing here?"a tall, strong looking boy asked.

"Lunch."Kripke answered quickly.

He didn't like to talk much. The fewer word, the better.

"What do you need lunch for?"the tall boy asked. "You look good to me. I say you get out of here."

"All wight."Kripke said.

His eyes widened as he noticed what he had done, Why couldn't he have just said 'yes', or 'okay'?

The other boy was laughing now."Bill, come 'ere."

"What is it, Jake?"the boy adressed as Bill asked in an ittitated way.

"Listen to this kid. Wonder why he doesn't talk much? Here's yer answer."Jake snickered."Repeat what you said to me."

"O-okay."

"No, tell me what you just said."Jake said.

"I just said okay."Kripke said.

He felt himself being pushed against the wall. An old bruise was being painfully pressed on as his sore back pressed against the cold wall.

"You better say what you said before, got it?"Jake said, getting close, and making a balled fist with his other hand and raising it in the air.

"A-A...a-a"Kripke stuttered.

"Hey! What's going on over there?"a sharp, masculine voice called.

"Shit."Bill said."Let him go."

Jake growled."This isn't over, punk. You better watch your back."

Kripke nodded as he was roughly let go. A male teacher was making his way across the crowded caffeteria and over to where the bullies had let go of Kripke. They ran into the crowd, dissapearing.

"Are you all right?"the teacher asked, putting a hand on Kripke's shoulder.

Kripke flinched away."Y-yes, sir."

"Okay."the teacher said."You be careful now. Go get some lunch, and don't be late for class."

"Yes, Mista Wiwams."Kripke said, hanging his head at his failed attempt of 'Mr. Williams'.

The teacher bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing. He turned and quickly walked away. Kripke could hear him repeating the name to himself. Kripke sighed as he took a lunch tray and went up to get something to eat quickly. A carton of milk, an orange, and some caffeteria chicken nuggets found their way to his blue tray.

Just as he was about to take a seat, a blurred figure rushed past him. It smacked the tray from his hand, and all over the floor. Kripke regretted having all ready opened the milk as he felt it's cold, sticky liquidness drip down his shirt and spatter on his pants. Cruel laughter reached his ears as he turned and ran from the room, leaving the mess behind him.

He wanted to cry. School sucked, nobody liked him, he had no friends. All he could do was bury his nose in a book and hoped that he blended in with wherever he was. Science was his favorite and best subject, but he didn't care about that now. He slunk to the class room and sat down at his desk.

It was quiet. There was nobody to laugh at him there. Nobody to taunt him about his silence, the way he spoke, anything. It was just him, and his book. Just as he was getting intrested in the study of cellular reproduction and mitosis, the door to the classroom opened.

"Kripke?"a female voice asked.

"Yes, Mwisses Wobins?"Kripke asked.

The blonde female went and sat behind a desk. Her desk had many things on it, incyding a name plaque that read 'Mrs. Robins'. Her blue eyes looked at the young boy with pity.

"Is somtin' the matdewr?"Kripke asked.

Mrs. Robins was the only person Kripke ever spoke to. She was the only one who seemed to care. Someone who didn't make him say things just to laugh. Someone who didn't laugh at him when he failed to speak properly.

"Kripke, have you seen the school speech therapist yet?"Mrs. Robins asked.

Kripke shook his head. "No. ma'am. My dad says I don't need ta'."

"What about your mother? What is her opinion?"

Kripke hung his head. "I don't have a mowver. She weft when I was wittle."

"I understand. You just live with your father?"Mrss Robins asked.

Kripke nodded. Mrs. Robins opened her mouth to speak again, but the room suddenly started to fill with students. The class started, and Kripke resumed his silence. As soon as class ended, he gathered his things and left without looking back. Science was the last class of the day, thankfully.

Kripke went to his locker and started to unlock it.

'1-4-5-3-7-6-2'

The locker was unlocked, but stuck. He jimmied the handle and it sprang open. A book fell to the floor and he snatched it up. He hid it in his bookbag, thankful that nobody had seen it or the title.

'The Art of Speaking Properly'

Kripke took another book from the locker and put it in the bookbag.

'Speaking for Dummies'

It had been hard to come by these two books. He had to sneak into the bookstore and purchase them without his father's knowledge. He had used his own little pocket money to get them. He slung his bookbag over one shoulder. He had a long walk back to his house. He wasn't allowed to take the bus and his father sure wasn't coming to pick him up.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"I'm howme!"Krike shouted through the front door as he dropped his bookbag by the kitchen counter.

He sighed as he looked over the dirty house. The floor needed to be swept and vaccuumed, the dishes needed to be washed, the laundry needed to be done.

"Dad?"Kripke shouted.

"In here."a gruff voice grunted from the living room.

Kripke went to the room to confront his father. At first he could only see the back of the chair his father used. As he came closer his socked feet, propped up on a foot rest, became visible to the young boy. At last he was before his father.

His father wasn't very much to look at. He was slightly over weight, and wore dirty plaid shirts all the time. He usually held a can or bottle or beer in his hand, as he did now. Kripke couldn't remember a time ever seeing his father sober. He knew that he had taken up drinking when his mother left, but Kripke was five then. He was twelve now, and his father seemed to have drinken nonstop since the moment his mother had gotten into that car and driven away.

"How was school?"his father asked, slightly slurred.

"Fine."Kripke said. He fidgited for a moment.

"What's on your mind, boy?"

"Nothing, siwr."Krioke said.

"Speak, boy."his father said, anger starting to lace his slurred voice.

"I-I was wondewin, my teacha said that I should take speech cwasses."Kripke said."I-I was hopin you would wet me."

"Absolutely not."his father said, clearly drunk and angry.

"B-but why?"

"Don't question me."his father growled."You know I can't afford them."

_Maybe if you would get a job._ Kripke thought. "But, Dad, thewre fwee!"

"I don't take charity."his father grumbled.

_But you depend on the government for food, clothing and a house. You depend on your 'buddies' for alchahol._ "Nobody wood need know."Kripke said."Pwease, Dad?"

His father was now on his feet. He wobbled and swayed a bit as he went to the wall. On that wall was a single wooden hook that was screwed into the wall. On that hook hung the very thing Kripke feared most. A thick, black, wrinkled, dry, leather belt. His father took it down from the hook and doubled it.

"Come here, boy."his father growled.

"Dad,pwease!"Kripke pleaded, backing up."I'm sowry! I don't meawn it! I-I don't wanna take those shtupid cwasses!"

"Come here. Now."his father spat.

Kripke backed up into the kitched, and tripped over his bookbag. It was open, and it's contents spilled out. A tin water bottle rolled out and began to drip onto the floor. The books fell in random places. The bright yellow book intrigued his father, and he bent down to pick it up.

"'Speech for Dummies'?"his father read aloud."How dare you! I tell you no, and you deliberatly go againt me and get this!"

"I-I'm sowry!"Kripke said, starting to cry from his spot on the floor.

"Get up, and don't you dare cry!"Kripke's father shouted.

Kripke started to get up, slipping on the puddle of water. He felt his father's strong grip grab him by his wrist and yank him up. He felt his wrist still being hung in the air. His could smell the alcahol on his father's breath.

"She left because of you ya' know."his father growled. "All because of you."

"Pwease, Dad, I'm sowry."Kripke now sobbed.

He was grabbed by the shirt of his collar and lifted into the air. His father began to shake him until he could feel his brain rattle and he had bit his tounge. The metalic taste of blood filled his mouth, and a little dripped over the side of his lip.

"Don't you dare cry! It's bad enough I have to put up with you , let alone you blubbering all over the place!"

His father now shouted every word. Kripke tried hard to stop crying, and stopped almost completely except for his breathing,which was now hiccupy.

He was abrupty let go of, and he fell back onto the floor. Before he could get up though, something rock hard and long was hitting him. The Black Belt was making itself know once again. The Black Belt had and was the cause of most of his scars and bruises. He felt it stike him again and again, somtimes in the same spot, somethimes others. The blows mainly landed on his shoulders and back.

"Daddy, pwease!"Kripke cried.

"Shut up, boy! Don't talk back to your elders!"

Kripke tried to stop crying, but couldn't as the blows continued to land. Harder and harder they fell on his thin frame. He was shaking and crying, and was sure he was bleading in some places. Suddenly, the lashes stopped. Kripke looked up through swollen eyes to see his father stepping away. He was in the fridge, getting another can of beer.

"Go to your room."Kripke's father ordered.

"Y-yes, s-s-sir."Kripke said, grabbing his bookbag and bottle and school books quickly.

A knock at the door startled him. His father was back in the living room. The knock sounded through the house again.

"Well for God's sake, open the damn thing!"Kripke's father shouted as he popped open the can with a metalic snap and fizz.

Kripke opened the door. He was surprised to see his blue eyed, blonde science teacher there. She was in a pair of blue jeans and a pink tee shirt. Kripke hung his head so that she couldn't see his red eyes and bruised face.

"Kripke?"Mrs. Robins asked.

"Y-yes, ma'am?"Kripke asked, failing to cover the tremor in his voice.

His teacher knelt down next to him, and he hung his head lower. He flinched as she lifted it up to look at him.

"My God."she breathed out."What happened to you?"

"Notwin happened."Kripke said.

"Kripke, did those boys get you?" Mrs. Robins asked.

Kripke shook his head, stopping as it started to give him a worse headache.

"Kripke!"a gruff voice said, coming from the living room and back into the kitchen. "Who the hell is it?"

Kripke started."M-my teacha."

"I am Mrs. Katie Robins, Kripke's science teacher."she said to the obviously drunken man. "He and I were discussing speech thearapy, but he left before we could finish. I came to speak to you as well."

Kripke's father grunted. "My names Joe."

"Do you have any idea how Kripke got in this state?" Katie asked.

"Sure do."Joe answered. "I told him no, he disobeyed."

"You did this?"Katie asked, alarmed but not surprised.

"What's it to ya', bitch?"Joe hissed.

"This has gone far enough."a second voice came.

"Tom, he's been abusing Kripke all this time."Katie said, turning to the man,

He was a tall, slender, yet strong looking man. He wore a clean blue and white plaid shirt and crisp, clean blue jeans. He had neat brown hair, and sharp brown eyes.

"I know you said to wait in the car-"Tom started.

"It's all right."Katie said. "It's a good thing you came."

Tom turned to Kripke's father. "I am her husband. I work for the county poilice, and you are under arrest for child abuse."

"You ain't got nothing on me."Joe said. "You have no proof."

"No proof?"Katie asked, no angry. "Look at your own son. Covered in bruises, blood, scars-"

"His own fault."Joe growled.

"You admitted yourself that you had punished him."Katie said.

"Get out of my house."Joe said, stepping towards the woman.

"Not until I get this boy away from the likes of you."Katie said, going to take Kripke's hand.

A strong hand grabbed her wrist though and started to twist. Katie shouted out in pain, but she was soon released as her husband came to her rescue. He had shoved Joe back. making the intoxicated man lose his grip and fall back. Kripke watched in shock as a pair of handcuffs were wrapped around his father's wrists. He felt himself gently being pulled away.

"It's all right, Kripke. You don't ever have to see him again."Katie's voice said to the stunned boy.

"W-wats gonna happen to him?"Kripke asked.

"He's going to get what he deserves."Mrs. Robins answered."Get in the car, sweetie."

Kripke obeyed quickly, climbing into the back seat of the car. Katie got into the drivers seat and started the engine of the black Buick. She started to drive away.

"Whait! Wat about my fader?"Kripke asked, starting to panic.

"It's all right."Katie said gently from the drivers seat. "He's not going to be hurt, and neither are you."

"Were are we gowin?"Kripke asked.

"You're going to my home until Social Services come and help you out."Katie answered.

Police cars were coming up the street and passed them as they drove. Kripke turned back to see the white and black automobiles with flashing sirens pulling into his driveway. He turned back to face the front of the car and slumped against the seat. He didn't know to be relieved or scared. He sighed to keep from crying.

"You're going to be all right."Katie said, pulling up to her house.

Katie unbuckled and got out as Kripke followed her example. Katie took his hand and smiled gently at him, to try and reassure the twelve year old. He didn't return it as he hung his head and let her lead. He remained silent as Social Services came and asked him questions. He answered in short, quick answers, trying to avoid the letter he couldn't say. He soon found himself in a car again with Katie and Tom in the front seats. He hadn't remembered seeing her husband return, or even getting into this car again.

"Mwisses Wobins?"Kripke asked."Wewre awe we goin'?"

"The hospital."Katie answered.

Kripke understood and resumed his silence.

XxXxXxXxX

"So?"Katie asked the doctor after he had finished examining the young boy.

"The main things are mainly what's the most obvious."the doctor started."He has alot of bruises and cuts, probably from what his father did to him."

Kripke remained silent as a nurse helped him put his shirt back on. I taking it off, more of the ugly black bruises had shown themseves. His back both looked and felt like one latrge bruise. He now had a bandage wrapped around his lower ribs, as two of them had been discovered to be broken, and more fractured or bruised.

"There's no internal damage, thank God."the doctor as how bad everything else was."

"You said his ribs were broken, is that new?"Tom asked.

The doctor shook his head. "Those have been like that for months. Is surprising that they weren't putting him in more pain."

"Can we take him home now?"Katie asked.

Kripke's eyes widened. He thought that the Robins' had been trying to help him, get him out from under his abusive father. They were going to take him back home though! He hung his head as a few tears started to slip down his face.

"Oh."Katie said, realizing her mistake. She sat down next to him and held him, being careful not to hurt him. "Not back there."

"No?"Kripke asked, trying to brush away his tears quickly.

"No."Katie confirmed."You're coming back with us."

"We want to adopt you."Tom added. "Would you like that?"

"W-Waelly?"Kripke asked.

"Yep."Katie said."And you can get speech therapy."

Kripke jumped back."No. I don't need that!"

Katie looked at him confused. "What do you mean? I thought you wanted to-"

Tom lay a hand on his wife's shoulder. He understood why Kripke was now refusing the therapy. It was too closely related to his father's abuse. Going to it would only remind him of his father.

"Maybe we can hold off on that."Tom said.

Katie understood now to and nodded."All right, Kripke."

"Thank you."he said, hanging his head.

The doctor had left a few minutes ago, and returned with discharge papers. They were soon filled out, and the three were soon back at the Robins' home.

XxXxXxXxX

Kripke lay curled up in a bed. It had been the guest bedroom at the house, but he was told that it was to be his new room. Katie leaned over him and kissed his forehead.

"Good night, Kripke."she said."And don't worry about your father. Or anything, for that matter. You're safe now."

"Yes, ma'am."Kripke said."Thanks. Thanks alot. I pwromice ta' be good and not be too much twouble."

Katie chuckled as she gave his hand a pat."You won't be any trouble. Good night."

She rose and started to leave the room.

"Gwood night."Kripke replied as the door closed.

It was left open just a slit, and a small strip of light lay across the floor. Kripke soon fell asleep.

OoOoOoOoO

Kripke walked into the campus bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face.

"Get a howd of yowrself, Kwipke."he said in scorn.

He bent above the sink and spashed his face again. He remembered how things had gotten better, but not alot better. Things had been better at home, but school remained the same. He was still teased and beaten up on a regular basis, but he then had the Robins' to help him out.

He took a deep breath and turned off the faucet. He looked at himself in the mirror a second. What he saw made him freeze. He spun around to become face to face Leonard.

"You didn't see nothin', Howfstata."he said.

"Kripke, I-I'm sorry."Leonard said."I had no right to make fun of you."

Kripke was taken back a bit. He looked at Leonard for a second, in shock.

"I-...thanks."he answered.

He started to leave, but Leonard spoke to him again."Kripke, I have to ask you."

"Awsk me wat?"Kripke asked, becoming cold again.

"Why don't you see the campus' speech councelors? I'm sure they'd love to work on you and stuff."Leonard said, stumbling with his words.

"That's none of you'wre bwisness."Kripke said, his voice again sharp and cold.

Leonard was about to snap back at him when he rememebred what Sheldon had said. He wanted to chuckle at himself. 'What Sheldon had said'. Instead he took a step closer to Kripke and put a hand on his arm.

"If you ever need to talk about something, or need somebody to talk to, or just somebody to hang out with, just give me a call."Leonard said.

To his surprise, Kripke didn't pull away from him or shout at him or call him names.

"Yeah."Kripke said."I'll do that."

With that, Kripke left the men's bathroom and returned to his office. Leonard returned to his work as well.

OoOoOoOoO

Leonard and the guys were at the comic book shop. It had been a few days since his confrontation with Kripke in the bathroom, and he had kept it to himself. Sheldon and Raj were looking throgh the comics in the middle of the store while Howard was looking at something on the opposite wall. There were a few others at the shop, but one person had caught Leonard's attention.

Kripke was looking at him through the window. He looked, almost kinda sad. He entered the shop and pretended to be busy looking through the comics. Leonard held his ground, not wanting to comfront him if Kripke didn't want to see him. Sheldon had seen Kipke too, but had remained unnaturally silent. He soon turned his attentin back to the latest edition of 'The Amazing Spiderman'.

Leonard noticed that Kripke was slowly making his way towards the shorter man. He looked like he was engrossed in the comics, but Leonard knew different. Kripke was soon right next to him, burying his face in a 'Transformers' comic. He looked up, as if surprised to see the other man.

"Leonawd, didn't see ya' der."Kripke said.

"Hey, Kripke."Leonard said nonchalantly, looking through what he had just grabbed. It turned out to be an old edition of 'The Green Lantern'. "Something you need?"

Kripke fell silent, as if struggling with his inner self."Um..."

"Kripke?"Leonard said.

"You,uh, said if I ever needed to talk..."Kripke said, not making eye contact.

"Do yo like coffee?"Leonard asked suddenly.

Kripke jumped for a second."Cowffee? Yeah, I like it."

"There's a cafe across the street."Leonard said."Want to go grab a cup?"

"Um, suwre."Kripke answered with a shrug.

"All right."Leonard said.

He started to head out with Kripke when Howard and Raj stopped him.

"What are you doing?"Raj asked.

"Getting a cup of coffee."Leonard said.

"Let's try this again."Howard said."What are you doing with Kripke?"

"Okay let's try this again."Leonard said, mimicing Howard."I'm getting a cup of coffee, with Kripke."

Howard scoffed as Raj rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."Raj said.

The two soon left and Leonard went across the street with the other scientist. Before they entered, Kripke had stopped.

"What's wrong?"Leonard asked.

"I-I..."Kripke started."Just...thanks."

"No problem."Leonard said, opening the door.

The bells on it jingled merrily as the two men entered. They could be seen sitting by the window over foam cups of Starbucks coffee, talking.

I dedicate this story to all those who struggle with speech impediments or have gone or are going through child abuse. I myself have a speech impediment, exactly like Kripke's.

I do not own Big Bang Theory, Starbucks coffee, Transformers, Green Lantern, or Spider Man. I do not own any characters except for the Original Characters in here.

Thank You.


End file.
